From the military dog, Cairo, that helped storm Bin Laden's compound to the countless number of service dogs that help the disabled with their everyday tasks, we think today's celebrations should include a recognition and a hearty "thank you" to all of our country's working canines.
Photo courtesy of Foreign Policy Magazine
Speaking of working canines,
The Orlando Sentinel published this list from the American Kennel Club that describes five different ways dogs use their incredible sense of smell to help humans:
Bed bug sniffing: Bed bugs became a major problem for businesses and homeowners during the past few years, so a new employee entered the work force – the dog. Professional groups have established standards in bed bug-detector dog training, testing and certification. Breeds commonly used to hunt bed bugs include the beagle and Labrador retriever.
Search and rescue: From missing persons cases to natural disasters, dogs have been an integral part in finding people who are in dire situations. Training begins in puppy hood, and when completed the dogs are tested and certified by search and rescue organizations. Breeds most commonly recruited include the bloodhound and German shepherd.
Explosives detection: Many recent examples have been in the news, especially in military and law-enforcement areas. The dogs go through an intense training course to learn how to find and identify a wide variety of explosives and to alert their handlers. Breeds that excel in this kind of work include the German shepherd and Vizsla.
Cancer detection: Scientists have been able to train Labrador retrievers to sniff out cancer in patients’ breath. In one case, the Lab correctly diagnosed the disease 98 percent of the time.
Allergy alert dogs: Peanut allergies can be life-threatening. Dogs are trained to detect the peanut allergen and its residue at schools, social events and everyday activities and alert their owner. Breeds that most commonly work as allergy alert dogs include the poodle and Portuguese water dog.
By the way, does preparing for football season count as "work"?
